Wednesday, September 28, 2005

No change in the Tory leadership rules

The Guardian today reports on the results of that vote, to decide whether the Tory membership would retain their say over the choice of leader for the party. Michael Howard wanted a change in the rules, but has been defeated:

A party ballot to give the franchise exclusively back to Tory MPs failed to win the required two-thirds majority, a decision that may help Kenneth Clarke's chances of becoming the next Tory leader.
Mr Clarke has relatively little support in the parliamentary party and would not have won a ballot confined to its 198 MPs. One MP said: "It is good news for Clarke and neutral for David Davis." The shadow home secretary, Mr Davis, is still seen as frontrunner.